Magazines and periodicals, of course, are known. Further, it is also known to include loose inserts in the form of coupons, advertisements and subscription cards in magazines and periodicals. FIG. 1 illustrates a magazine 10 and FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the front and back sides of a subscription card 20 of the type which are loosely slid between pages of a magazine 10. This type of loose leaf advertising is also used in newspapers.
In general, magazines and periodical subscribers have become frustrated with the advent of loose coupons, advertisements and other materials being placed inside the magazines and periodicals. The loose materials slide out between the pages and often fall on the floor. In an effort to remedy this situation, magazines and periodicals often bind the inserts, such as subscription coupons into the magazine thereby preventing the items from falling out during subsequent use.
Flexible magnets that can be easily secured to a refrigerator or a file cabinet (also known as "refrigerator magnets") are also known. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the front and back sides respectively of one such refrigerator magnet 30. The front side 31 includes a plurality of advertising or other informational indicia. The magnet 30 can also take the form of a redeemable coupon. The back side 32 of the magnet 30 as shown in FIG. 3 is typically a dark brown or black color. Because this space abuts the refrigerator or file cabinet when the magnet is in place on the refrigerator or file cabinet, the prior art magnets do not use the back side 32 for additional advertising or informational indicia.
Magnetized coupons and advertisements have become very popular in the United States in wake of the popularity of large or full sized refrigerators. Magnetized coupons and advertisements are often decorative and become a welcome addition on a refrigerator or file cabinet along side souvenir magnets. Despite the growing popularity of magnetized coupons and advertisements, they have not been employed or distributed to a significant extent in magazines and periodicals. If an economical and aesthetically pleasing scheme for distributing magnetized advertisements and coupons in magazines and periodicals could be developed, such a scheme would further enhance the use of these popular advertisement vehicles.